Steak, Cabernet and the Blindingly Obvious
by Shiroimono
Summary: After Gatsby wining and dining him for weeks, Nick comes to the logical conclusion. Which is not, in fact, the correct conclusion. Or is it?


After thinking it over a bit, Gatsby decided it might be better not to have Jordan make the request for him.

After all, it was rather a large request to make of Nick. Nick was a good man of proper morals. He never got drunk at any of Gatsby's parties, never ogled any of the ladies, keeping his eyes to himself even in the case of his own girlfriend, Jordan, and Gatsby wasn't sure he'd ever even cursed in Gatsby's presence.

Moreover, he wasn't entirely sure Nick approved of him even now. Nick had come visiting several times, of course. They had gone up in the hydroplane together. Nick had attended at least three parties. They'd spoken of trivialities: politics, philosophy, current events, etc. He'd told Nick his entire (admittedly fake) backstory. And despite that, he still got the sense that Nick still wasn't altogether comfortable with him. Perhaps it was in the fact that although he laughed lightly at Gatsby's jokes, he always seemed a bit on edge around Gatsby. Perhaps it was the fact that sometimes, Gatsby would turn around and find Nick staring intently at him, almost suspiciously, and Nick would immediately lower his eyes and pretend nothing had happened.

So with Nick being such a decent man, and being so unimpressed with Gatsby himself (which was a bit distressing seeing as Gatsby lived to impress), it was perhaps not the best idea to count on Jordan to present the subject to Nick. Although Nick clearly had a better opinion of her than of Gatsby (the two were going together, after all), it still was not straightforward to depend on a woman to make a request. And Nick was a straightforward man. He wouldn't appreciate that.

So instead of sending Nick home after telling him to call Jordan, as he originally planned (speaking of Daisy was still so painful for him) he kept Nick with him a bit longer, and, in the heat of the evening, he brought Nick home to have dinner at his own place. And Nick, although his house was just across the way and he could easily have simply gone home, did not object.

Gatsby took this as a good sign.

He took utmost care with the preparations. The dinner was steak, asparagus and potatoes served with a red cabernet that Nick only drank in sips and Gatsby tried to drink as slowly as possible. The table was lit with only a few candles, which Gatsby hoped would set the mood as serious.

Nick seemed to be slightly on edge, but not in a particularly bad way. He smiled openly at Gatsby. It was a smile Gatsby had seen before, directed at many a party guest, a trustworthy smile, devoid of judgment. Come, it said. Tell me everything. Let me take on your burdens. All I want is to help.

Gatsby cleared his throat. He paused, unsure of how to begin. Perhaps Jordan would have done a better job after all.

"Do you have something to say, Gatsby?" Nick said gently.

Gatsby nodded. Somehow he couldn't force the words out of his throat.

Nick smiled and raised his eyebrows.

"Wolfsheim isn't as bad as he seems, really," Gatsby said at last. "I know he can come off a little strong, old sport, but really he means well. And he's a good man to know."

He'd thought Wolfsheim would come across as impressive, would make a good impression. He'd always made a strong impression on Gatsby's underworld contacts. But perhaps that was the difference. Nick was an upstanding man, and the things that would impress him were rather different.

But Nick was still smiling. "You don't need to apologize for him. It was nice meeting one of your friends."

"Friends?" Gatsby said. He didn't really think of Wolfsheim that way. They were business connections, and Wolfsheim could be very helpful, but they weren't exactly…friendly. "I suppose you could call him that."

If it came down to it, he didn't really have that many friends, at least, not the way he liked to consider friends. Most of his acquaintances either were with him for business reasons or because they loved to squander his wealth and enjoy his parties. But Nick hadn't even let Gatsby pay for lunch and drinks today, always seemed more interested in Gatsby than the alcohol or music at the parties, and, if he had any idea what Gatsby did for business, at least never brought it up.

"You're a good friend to me, Nick," Gatsby said, meeting Nick's eyes, so open, so…kind. "I have less than you'd think."

Nick nodded silently.

"You are a good man. I'm glad I met you, really," Gatsby said. Nick was the kind of man Gatsby had always imagined New York was full of, before reality proved him wrong. "I don't want to ask anything more from you."

"Please," Nick said. His voice was unexpectedly rough. "If it's you, you can ask for anything you want."

Gatsby's fists clenched. "You're kind, old sport. I just don't know how…"

"It's all right," Nick said. He stood up. "I already know what you want."

Gatsby froze. "Miss Baker told you?"

Nick laughed a little awkwardly. "She didn't have to. It was a little obvious."

"It…was?"

"Well, yes."

Gatsby smiled stiffly. He had been prepared to give a long speech in preparation for requesting Nick's assistance in seeing Daisy. He had been willing to go into poetry to declare his love for Daisy and convince Nick of his sincerity. And now Nick…already knew?

At least he didn't seem to be angry.

"You don't need to worry," Nick said. "Honestly, it's flattering."

Gatsby flushed. His attentions flattering to Daisy? As if she didn't have a thousand other admirers, even if they were less devoted. But that was still far from the point. "Well, old sport, you know, it's not exactly…socially acceptable. I mean, I know it doesn't look like something a gentleman would…"

"You're an honest man, Gatsby," Nick said earnestly. He walked over to Gatsby's side and gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "Something as simple as this could never change my mind. And society isn't always right. Especially when it comes to love."

"Please," Gatsby said. "I swear my intentions are still honorable."

Nick smiled. "I believe there is honor in love itself. And to confess that kind of love, one must be very brave."

"Brave?" Gatsby sputtered. "Well…"

Nick bent down, his face very close to Gatsby's now. "You are a good man, Gatsby." With a single hand he cupped Gatsby's chin. "I love you too."

And then Nick's lips were pressing against Gatsby's and Gatsby's brain pretty much shorted out.

It was not that no one had ever tried to kiss Gatsby before. At many of his parties there had been attempts from young women, and yes, occasionally young men. Gatsby had carefully avoided all such attempts with help from his assistants, and made notes to avoid all the attempters in the future.

But it had been years since anyone had actually succeeded in kissing him. And then there was the not insignificant fact that the person kissing him was Nick.

Nick, the gentle soul who rarely ventured to speak to strangers first and certainly was never aggressive with them. Nick, who always looked on Gatsby's extravagance with a hint of exasperation and never indulged too much at Gatsby's parties. He was not the sort to kiss anyone out of the blue, especially not another man.

He was also Daisy's cousin, and…

Daisy.

Gatsby gasped slightly and Nick leaned away, his lips finally detaching themselves from Gatsby's mouth. He frowned with concern, and Gatsby tried to gather his thoughts back together from where the kiss had scattered them.

"I…" He stuttered. "I'm not sure you understand, old sport."

Nick squeezed his arm. "You're flustered. I moved too fast for you." A smile quirked at his lips. His lips, which a minute ago had been kissing Gatsby. "Maybe you're even less experienced than I thought."

Gatsby whimpered.

The smile on Nick's face disappeared. Gravely, he said, "I'm sorry. Perhaps I did misunderstand. You didn't want me to kiss you?"

Gatsby was on the verge of saying no, but somehow he couldn't get the word out of his mouth. Instead he just made an awkward grunting noise. It sounded awful and he had to blush. Nothing about this evening was going according to plan.

"Do you want me to kiss you again?" Nick asked. "Or should I stay back?"

"You want to do that again?" Gatsby blurted out.

"Yes?" Nick said. "Only if you want to."

Of course he didn't. He should only want to kiss Daisy. Daisy was his dream, the one for whom he'd made a fortune, built a house like a castle and thrown parties every weekend hoping for only a glimmer of attention. He couldn't want to be with anyone else, to kiss anyone else. Certainly he couldn't want to kiss Nick, who had only showed up in Gatsby's life a couple weeks ago, who was a man.

"Do you want to?" Nick repeated.

Gatsby cleared his throat. "I'm afraid I'm rather out of practice," he said apologetically.

"That's fine," Nick said encouragingly. "You'll do fine."

"You know, I've never really kissed a man before to begin with," Gatsby said. "I don't really know how."

"It's no different from kissing a woman," Nick said. "Except you'll be kissing me."

There was something rather appealing about kissing Nick, Gatsby supposed. He was a very good looking man, as Gatsby had always thought. Jordan Baker was a lucky woman. Which was a good point. "But what about Miss Baker?" he asked.

"Jordan is nothing to me," Nick said. "She's a friend. Nothing else."

Perhaps it was a good thing Gatsby hadn't told Jordan to deliver his request then. Although, Gatsby thought helplessly, she at least couldn't have messed things up any worse than this.

Except, as bad of a mess as it seemed to be, Gatsby found himself rather enjoying it. Nick was not at all bad at kissing. And the way he looked at Gatsby was rather the way Gatsby had always wanted Daisy to look at him, even though she never had.

"This can't be a good idea," he said.

"And yet you want it," Nick said quietly. "You invited me over tonight, didn't you?"

Yes, but. Objections balanced on the tip of Gatsby's tongue. Yes but not for kissing. Yes but he had been going to ask about Daisy. Yes but Gatsby was in love with someone else, really, and he certainly didn't like men and Nick had simply misunderstood…

"I suppose I did," he said. He stepped closer to Nick, his throat tight with anticipation. "Well. Maybe it's not such a bad idea."

"It's a terrible idea," Nick said cheerfully. "Let's do it anyways."

As it turned out, Nick was an even better kisser when Gatsby was prepared for him.

It took them a little while to get back to dinner, but they did eventually finish eating, and Gatsby walked Nick home even though the distance was short enough. Nick kissed him goodbye briefly on the doorstep, and then Gatsby was left to walk back to his mansion by himself.

For the first time in months, he passed by the dock without stopping to gaze across the bay at the green light.

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AN: I was talking to a friend about how basically all Nick/Gatsby fics have Gatsby as the aggressor, despite the fact that Nick is the one with the ridiculously obvious crush. I mean, it's true that Nick is a little too cautious to act on such a crush (he doesn't in canon!) unless he's fairly certain he's picking up on some clear signals.

But on the other hand, Gatsby HAS been sending some pretty clear signals!

Anyways, reviews would be much appreciated. Or check me out on tumblr at .com.


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